~ free speech

Camping in Albuquerque: The Killing of James Boyd by Police Gunfire (16 MAR 2014)

LUMPENPROLETARIAT—It seems, as some close friends of mine just mentioned in conversation, that any interaction one has with the police these days could be fatal.

—Lumpen

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“Police Shoot Homeless Man Camping in Albuquerque” (2014) by The Young Turks

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HUFFINGTON POST—(24 MAR 2014) A homeless New Mexico man who was illegally camping in the Albuquerque foothills was fatally shot by police.

New helmet camera video released by the Albuquerque Police Department on Friday shows the moment 38-year-old James Boyd turns his back to officers and then gets shot dead. Despite overwhelming criticism to the shooting, the department says its officers were justified, KRQE reported.

Boyd was shot on Sunday, March 16. Police Chief Gorden Eden said officers approached Boyd, who was sleeping, to speak to him about illegally camping in an open space, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

According to authorities, Boyd began arguing with officers for more than three hours before the fatal shooting. Graphic video released by the department shows cops yelling at Boyd to “get on the ground” moments before he’s shot.

“Don’t change up the agreement, I’m going to try to walk with you,” Boyd says in the video. The suspect then picks up his belongings as if ready to leave. As he starts to head down the hill, an officer can be heard saying “Do it,” before Boyd is hit with a flash-bang device.

Visibly disoriented, Boyd drops his bags and appears to take out a knife. That’s when two officers, Dominque Perez and Keith Sandy, fire multiple rounds into the man.

Boyd can be seen dropping to the ground, where he lays still. Officers yell at him to drop his knife repeatedly. When the suspect doesn’t answer, police fire multiple bean-bag rounds at the man, then release a K-9 officer on him.